The present invention relates generally to a trailer dumper for dumping the contents from a trailer containing a dumpable material, and more particularly to an improved portable dumper and an improved method of removing the contents form such a trailer. For example, such a dumper and method may be used to dump peanuts from trailers at a storage site.
A variety of portable trailer dumpers have been used to dump peanuts and such from semi-truck haulable trailers at storage sites, warehouses, storage elevators, and other commercial type sites. One known dumper includes a haulable frame having a front end hitchable to a semi-truck for moving the dumper between different dumping sites.
This known dumper includes an upwardly pivoting deck attached to the frame back end. The deck has an upwardly extending backstop adjacent the back end of the deck to retain a trailer during dumping. Two hydraulic actuators are mounted to the frame and underside the deck to push the deck from a lowered position for dumping the contents of the trailer. To power the hydraulic actuators, the tipper includes a hydraulic power unit mounted to the frame underside midway between the frame front and back ends.
In a lowered position adjacent the frame, the deck is substantially level at a height of nearly eleven feet about the ground surface upon which the dumper is located. To bridge this distance, the dumper has a detachable ramp extending downward from the frame front end. The frame also includes a permanently mounted intermediate ramped section for bridging a gap between the deck and the detachable ramp.
This known dumper includes front and rear stabilizer wings extending outwardly from the frame sides, with each wing having a ground-engaging float with screwtype height adjustment means. The stabilizers are adjustable to level the deck. The stabilizer floats are removed from the stabilizer wings and the wings are folded back against the frame for towing the dumper for moves between locations at a given site, the stabilizer floats and ramp must be removed and placed on the dumper.
To use this known dumper, a driver backs a trailer containing a dumpable material onto the detachable ramp, across the intermediate ramp and onto the deck until the trailer engages the deck backstop. To unhook the trailer for dumping, the driver gets out of the truck cab, which is nearly as high as the deck (approximately eleven feet above the ground surface). Any fall from such a height may seriously injure the driver. Thus, this dumper requires handrails and barriers along the edges of the ramps and deck.
The basic manufacturing costs of such handrails and barriers increase the initial cost of the known dumper. Furthermore, there are the labor cost associated with disassembling and reassembling the handrails and barriers when moving the dumper from one location at a dump site to another location at the same dump site.
Dumpers are inherently susceptible to side loading when the deck is elevated to dump a trailer. For example, side loading may occur when a strong cross wind blows against a side of a trailer during dumping. The deck acts as a movement arm and side loading force applies a torque to the frame. To prevent frame deformation by twisting during such side loading the known frame requires great amounts of reinforcing steel and larger and heavier steel members in the frame. The additional reinforcing steel increases dumper manufacturing costs, as well as making the dumper heavy to haul, which increases fuel costs associated with moving the dumper.
Thus, a need exists for am improved trailer dumper and method for dumping the contents from a trailer containing a dumpable material, which is not susceptible to the above limitations and disadvantages.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper for unloading flat floor trailers.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper which incorporates a hydraulic adjustable chock block apparatus for placing the chock block securely inline and tightly against the trailer bumper, regardless of the trailer size or height of the trailer bumper location.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper that can be safely and quickly moved from a first dump location to a second dump location as needed.
And yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper, having duel hydraulic rams for lifting the front end of the dump, in order that it can be attached to a truck and moved from a first dump location to a second dump location.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper, having opposing telescoping stabilizing arms.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dump that can safely and easily be operated by an individual operator.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper that is detachably attachable to a tractor truck for transporting from a first dump location to a second dump location.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper with duel hydraulic cantilever wheels which lowers the dump until it rest on a solid surface, and is ready for, dumping operations, and then raises the dump for transporting from a first dump location a second dump location.
And, another object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper that can safely and easily be moved by an individual operator.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper that provides superior strength and geometry by design of the cross frame tubular members.
And yet, another object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper whereas the lift deck floor cross member frame closes into the corresponding base frame when lowered, thereby decreasing the elevation profile even further.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper for unloading bulk materials having relatively poor flow properties.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper for unloading the bulk material contents of a carrier unit.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper for unloading a bulk material having relatively poor flow properties, utilizing gravity flow.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper for unloading bulk materials having relatively poor flow characteristics.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper apparatus.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper which is relatively simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and service, and is safe and simple to operate.
Another object of the present invention is provide a novel drive across, low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper with pull-out safety hand rails, that are used during operations of the trailer dumper.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel drive across low-profile portable hydraulic trailer dumper with an automatic safety gate which extends across the front end of the dump and connects to the pull-out safety hand rails, thus preventing accidental access to the area directly under the lift deck.
A still further object of the present is to provide a drive across low-profile, portable hydraulic trailer dumper with removable tread ramps located at the rear of the dumper frame, which when installed, allows access for a tractor to pull a trailer on to and across the lift deck in order to position the trailer for the dumping operation, the ramps are then removed during the dumping, once the dumping operation is completed and the empty trailer is removed, the process is repeated as necessary.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention relates, from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: